Mail-bag catching and delivering mechanism.



No. 731,592. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903'. R. J. MEYER. MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 190a.

MODEL 2 sums-sum 1.

No.731,592. PATENTED JUNE 23,1903.

R. J. MEYER.

MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM. APPLIOATION nun APR. 4, 1903.

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m: NORRIS Pnens so, Puma-Luna. wAsnmcTom D. c.

granted to me June'24, 1902.

1 UNITED STATES f Patented June 23, 1903.

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LATENT RALPH JACOB MEYER, OF MITCHELL, COLORADO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,592, dated June 23, 1903.

" Application filed April 4. 1903. Serial No. 151,208- (No model.)

a citizen of the United States, residing at Mitchell, in the county of Eagle and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Mail-BagCatching and Delivering Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

a My invention relates to mail-bag catching and delivering mechanisms, and is especially designed as an improvement upon the 'device disclosed inLetters Patent No. 703,074, Insaid patent there is disclosed a track-crane comprising a single vertical standard provided at its upper end with ears, between which is pivoted an upper pouch-sustaining arm, and with a'sleeve or yoke which embraces the body portion of the standard and is extended atone side,forming ears, .towhich alower pouch-sustaining arm is pivoted; Thepatent further discloses pouch-r'eceivingforks which consist of a rigid and a spring arm, the latter provided with a loopfor holding thepouc'h. The patent also discloses a car-crane consisting of a pivoted frame comprising a vertical bar or standard and upperand lower pouch supporting' arms,

this frame being pivotedfupon suitable pintles formed upon the arms of upper and lower brackets attachedto the framework atthe side of the car door which construction ne; cessitates providing each car with a right: hand and left-handcrane which have to be interchanged when the-car has reached its destination .in order to properly arrange the device for the return trip. 1

The present invention has for its objects to provide a stronger and more durable trackcrane and to improve the manner of pivotally associating the pouch-sustaining arms therewith, to render the parts stronger for withstanding the severe shocks to which they are subjected in practice, to improve the construction of the sack-engaging forks, and to improve generally the construction and operation of the car-crane, and to obviate the abovenoted defects attendant upon the Tear-crane disclosedih said patent.

To: these ends the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combin ation of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail-pouch catching.

and delivering mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention. 'Fig. 2 is a similar view of the car crane. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the track-frame.

Referring to the drawings, my improved track-crane comprises a base-frame, vertical standards supported thereby, a platform sustained by the standards, and upper and lower pouch-supporting arms pivotally associated with the standards. The base-frame comprises horizontal cross-beams l, to which the lower ends of the four vertical standards 2 2 and 3 3 are secured by L-shaped straps or castings 4 and brace-beams 5. The platform 6 is built around the standards in any suitable or desired manner, and access is had thereto by means of steps 7. The vertical standards 2 are greater in length than the standards 3 and have pivoted between them at their upper ends upon a connecting-bolt 8 a sacksustaining arm 9. This arm which is pivoted forward of its longitudinal center, is weighted at its inner end and is provided at its outer end with upper and lower castings 10 and 11, which are secured, respectively, to the upper and under faces of the arm and which project beyond the outer end of the same and have pivoted between them a horizontal finger 12, which is normally maintained in parallel relation with the arm, by means of an overlying leaf-spring 13, bent downward at its outer end and notched for engagement with thefinger. This finger is similar in construction and operation to the like part illustrated in my prior patent and in practice is designed to engage the ring at the upper end of the pouch and to swing laterally in either direction for releasing the same, as further explained hereinafter.

14 is a lower sack-sustaining arm which is pivoted, substantially at its longitudinal center, upon a horizontal bolt 15, connecting the standards 2. This arm, .whichis mounted upon the bolt between the standards, is adapted for swinging movementin a vertical plane upon its pivot,and during suchmovement its inner end is guided .bytracks or. guides 17, which are curved in side elevation and are bolted at their front ends to the standards 2 and at their rear ends to the standards 3, and these guides serve at all times to prevent lateral displacement of the rear end of the arm.

' scribed.

Let

This arm is provided with upper and lower plates 18 and 19, of suitable strap meta],which are bolted or otherwise secured to the upper and lower faces of the arm and unite at the forward end of the same and project outwardly therefrom and have pivoted between them a horizontal finger 20, which normally extends parallel with the arm and is maintained in such position by means of an underlying leaf-spring 21, notched at its outer end for engagement with the finger, the purpose and operation of this finger being identical with that of the finger 12, above de- Mounted upon the bolt 15, at opposite sides of the armand between the same and the adjacent standard, are suitable packing-gaskets 22, of rubber, which serve as buffers for the arm, and a buffer 23, of similar material, is attached to a cross-beam 24 beneath the arm in position to receive the same when in its normal position.

The lower arm 14 is provided at its outer end with a pouch-engaging fork 24, which is secured between the extended portions of the plates 18 19, and consists of a curved rear arm 25 and an oppositely-curved front arm 26. This fork is substantially the same in construction and operation as the like part disclosed in my prior patent, with the exception that in the present instance both of the arms composing the fork are rigid and one of them, preferably the rear arm, is provided with a bag-retaining spring 27, preferably in the form of a leaf-spring, riveted or otherwise secured at one end to the outer end of the arm and connected at its inner end with a finger 28, which extends transversely of the arm and through a slot therein, and is provided in rear of the armwith a finger-piece or handle 29. The spring and finger serve to bridge the space between the fork-arms, but are adapted to yield to permit the bag to pass to the rear of the'fork and to then automatically close the fork in front of the bag to prevent escape of the latter.

My improved car-crane, which operates in conjunction with the track-crane for receiving and delivering mail-pouches without stoppage of the train, comprises an upper transverse bar 30, bolted at opposite ends to opposite sides of the door-frame, a lower transverse bar 31, similarly secured to the framework of the door, a main pivoted frame 32, and an inner supplemental pivoted'frame 33, which carries the pouch-engaging fork 34. The upper bar is provided near its opposite ends with transverse perforations 35, the purpose of which will presently appear. The

main frame 32 consists of an upper arm 36,

pivoted at the transverse center of the upper bar, a vertical bar or standard 37, and a lower horizontal arm 38, which is pivoted at the transverse center of the lower bar 31. This frame, which is adapted to swing on its pivots in a horizontal plane from side to side of the door, is maintained in normal position by means of pins 39, which extend through the perforations 35 of the upper bar and similar registering perforations 40, formed through the upper arm 36 of the frame. The supplemental frame 33, which is pivoted within the main frame, consists of an upper arm 41, a vertical portion 42, and a lower horizontal pivotingfinger 43. This frame, which is adapted to swing to a position transversely of the main frame, has the outer end of .its upper horizontal arm 41 bifurcated to form a seat for a parallel finger 44, which is pivoted therein and is maintained in its normal position parallel with the arm by means of an overlying leaf-spring 45, notched at its free end for engagement with the finger. This finger, which is adapted to sustain the upper end of a pouch when suspended in the frame, is adapted to swing laterally in either direction for releasing the pouch, as above set forth.

in connection with the finger 12. Pivoted to the frame near its lower end is a horizontal arm 46, provided at its outer end with a pivoted pouch-receiving finger 47, maintained normally in parallel relation with the arm by means of an underlying leaf-spring 48, which is notched for engagement with the finger. This finger, which is identical in construction and operation to finger 44, acts in conjunction therewith to sustain a mail-pouch.

The pouch-engaging fork 34 above referred to is pivoted in cars 49, depending from the under side of the arm 41, by means of a rockshaft 50, which lies beneath the arm parallel therewith and to which the fork 34 is fixed in any suitable manner for operation thereby. The outer end of the rock-shaft is journaled in cars 49, while its inner end is journaled in the vertical portion 42 of the frame and is bent downward outside of the frame to form an operating-crank 51. From this it will be seen that the fork 34 may be readily swung from side to side laterally of the frame and that the frame itself may be swung transversely of the main frame to opposite sides thereof. This swinging of the supplemental frame is limited by means of a connectingstrap 52, which is pivoted to the horizontal arm 41 of the frame and is slotted, as at 53, for engagement with a stud 54, depending from the under side of the upper horizontal arm of the main frame 32. When in its normal position, the supplemental frame is engaged by'a gravity-catch 55, pivoted to the upper horizontal arm of the main frame.

The fork 34 comprises oppositely-curved rigid arms 56 57, to one of which is secured a retaining member 58 in the form of a leafspring riveted to the arm near its outer end and extending inward and attached to a finger 59, which extends transversely through a slot in the arm and is provided with an operating-handle 60. This member serves to bridge the space between the arms and to yield to admit entrance of a bag to the fork in a manner similar to that heretofore described.

In practice a mail-pouch is suspended upon the upper andlower arms of the track-crane,

IIO

and a second pouch is suspended from the pouch-sustaining arms of the car-crane, and

upon the manner of constructing the trackcrane and pivoting the sack-supporting arms thereto, that I produce a car-crane which is simple of construction, efficient in operation, and one which obviates the defects attendant upon that of my former device, and that I produce animproved form of pouch-en gaging fork which will readily receive a pouch and securely hold the same until properly released.

In attaining these ends it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein shown and described, inasmuch as minor changes maybe made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of-upright standards and means for sustaining the same, of an upper arm pivoted between the standards and provided with a pouch-sustaining finger, a lower arm pivoted between the standards and provided with a pouch-sustaining finger, and a pouch-engaging fork associated with one of the arms.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a pair of upright standards and means for sustaining the same, of an upper arm pivoted between the standards and provided with a pouch-sustaining finger, a lower arm pivoted between the standards and provided with a pouch-sustaining finger, said arm extending rearwardly of the standards,

guides for the arm in rear of the standards,

and a pouch-engaging fork associated with one of the arms.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car having a doorway, of a frame pivotally mounted within the doorway to swing transversely thereof in opposite directions, upper and lower pouch-sustaining arms associated with the frame, a pouch-engaging fork pivoted in the frame, and means for operating the fork.

4. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a car having a doorway, of a frame pivotally mounted within the doorway to swing transversely thereof in opposite directions, upper and lower pouch-sustaining arms associated with the frame, ears depending from the upper arm, a pouch-engaging fork pivoted between the. ears, and a rockshaft for operating the fork, said rock-shaft constituting the pivotal axle of the fork.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car havinga doorway, of a main frame pivotally mounted within the doorway to swing from side to side thereof,

'a supplemental frame pivoted in the main frame to swing transversely thereof, pouchsustaining arms associated with the latter frame, a pivoted pouch-engaging fork, and means for operating the fork.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car havinga doorway, of a main frame pivotally mounted within the doorway to swing from side to side thereof, means for locking the frame in its normal position, a supplemental frame pivoted in the main frame to swing transversely thereof, means for locking the supplemental frame against swinging movement, pouch-sustaining arms associated with the latter frame, a pivoted pouch-engaging fork, and meansfor operating the same.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car havinga doorway, of a main frame pivotally mounted within the doorway to swing from side to side thereof, a supplemental frame pivoted in the main frame to swing transversely thereof, a link connecting the main and supplemental frames for limiting the swinging movement of the.

latter, pouch-sustaining arms associated with the supplemental frame, a pivoted pouch-engaging fork, and means for operating the "same.

8. In a device of the class described, a pouch-engaging fork comprising a pair of rigid arms diverging from theirinner toward their outer ends, a leaf-spring associated with one of the arms and bridging the space between them, and a finger connected with the free end of the spring and slidingly attached to the arm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' RALPH JACOB MEYER.

Witnesses:

IRA FOWENDA, F. K. PORTER.

ICC 

